Okuklje Mljet

The lush, forested island of Mljet is a thin strip of land approximately 32 km (20 miles) long and 3 km (2 miles) wide that runs parallel to the mainland north of Dubrovnik. Mljet is said to be the place where Odysseus holed up with the nymph Calypso for seven years, unable to tear himself away either from her or the beautiful island, and also lays claim to being the island of Melita, where St. Paul ran aground on his way to Italy and was bitten by a viper before setting sail again.

Watch out for the mongooses whose ancestors were drafted in during the nineteenth century to get rid of the snakes and are still very much in evidence! In its day, Mljet was used by the Romans as a place of exile and later favoured as a summer residence by the admirals of Dubrovnik. Okuklje is an attractive, land-locked anchorage surrounded by green, wooded slopes that gets busy in the summer months, so if you are in the mood for socialising with other sailing types it’s the place to head for.

There are a number of decent bars and restaurants and you can be assured that things don’t finish up too early in the evening. Some of the locals make a decent wine out of grapes grown in the island’s vineyards and it may be worth picking up a few bottles while you’re here. A yacht charter to Okuklje Mljet, allows you to explore the numerous secluded and scenic anchorages of the east coast of the island as you head north towards Polace and the national park, stopping to chill out and swim at whichever ones catch your eye.

Mooring:

Stern-to on the quay on the north-east side of the bay if there is room but be prepared to move out of the way of the ferry.

Alternatively, anchor in a suitable spot west of the beacon in 5 metres (16 feet). The bottom is sand, some parts of the bay have good holding but it is unreliable in places so make sure the anchor is well dug in.